The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-11-18
THE NICARAGUAN CANAL.

honorS, and whose elegantly expressed puHS are
famous throughout the trade.
THE NICARAGUAN CANAL.
Arrangements Completed for a Final Survey
1t Will Be Finished in Six Years.
Philadelphia Times.
Civil Engineer Robert E. Peary, United
States navy. in town yesterday busiy en-
gagged in completing ARRANGEMENTS for his de-
parture next Saturday week for Nicaragua,
where he will superintend final survey for the
great canal which it is intended TO construct be-
tween the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific
ocean.
The instruments for the survey have been
manufactured by Young & Co.. of this city. and
Engineer Peary spent the greater part of the
afternoon testing them. He expressed himself
rs greatly pleased with the Instruments Next
Saturday week Mr.. Peary, accompanied by
forty engineers and assistants will sail from
New York the steamer Hondo. which has
been chartered by the Nicaragua Canal Associa-
ton, and which will be stocked with all neces-
sary supplies and equipments. The expedition
will stop at Jamaica, where ITO laborers Will be
rectly to Greytown, Nicaragua where she is
pected to arrive Dec. 6. The work OF surveying
will begin at once.
All the preliminary surveys have been made,
and the object of this expedition is to make the
final axal location. These surveys will be con-
Quoted on tho basis of Civil Engineer Menocal's
surveys of 1885, with the addition OF a survey
with a view to constructing a canal entirely in
Nicaraeuan territory, should circumstances
render that desirable. Mr.. Peary will have
eight parties distributed to the best advantage,
and expects to complete the surveys in six
months. The plans and results OF the surveys
WILL his return, be laid before an inter
national commission of the most distinguished
engineers, and on their approval the work OF
construction will begin immediately.
| = The Nicaragua Canal Association was organ
lied last spring. and after vast amount OF
diplomatic correspondence and considerable
opposition purchased the concession from the
Ncaraeuan government for 600 IN gold
The officers of the company are +. A. Stout.
| president; H. L. Hotchkiss, treasurer, and j. w.
Miller, manager of the Providence and Stonlng-
ton steamers, secretary The chief and assist
ant-cnief engineer are A. e. Menocal and X. t.
Peary The general manager is H. G. Taylor
Among other capitalists interested are Frederick
Billings, of the Northern Pacific railroad; Pres
| ident Cheney, of the Garfield National Bank
Hitchcock g. Darling of the FSfth-avenue Hotel.
New York; j. F. O'Shauehnessy. of New York
| and New Orleans; Governor Fairbanks. of Yer
| mont; Robert Garrett and Ridgely Goodwin, or
Baltimore; w. Robinson, of the Delamater
iron works; Minnch & Co., of Savannah. and
| General Beale. of Riggs Bank, OF Washington.
| The expedition will cost about 1925, GOO.
| In speaking Of the new canal and the likeil-
hood of its construction, Mr. Peary expressed
great confidence in the success of the enterprise.
He said there are no unusual engineering DIN
| cuties to overcome, and with proper sanitary
precautions trouble is to be apprehended from
the climate or territory. The temperature
ranges from seventy to ninety Degrees and
+ trade winds continually blowing across the
isthmus from sea to sea- The average rainfall
| is sixty -four inches.
The distance from to sea is 40 miles. but
| of that distance, Mr.. Peary said only forty
miles will be actual canal. the rest being unre-
| stricted navigation on Lake Nicaragua and the
| San Juan river. The dimensions OF the canal
| will be from so to $50 feet bottom width,
| and from so 342 feet surface width,
with depth of 80 feet. There will be seven
! locks, each $50 feet long, so feet wide and ~
| feet deep. and capable of taking any merchant
vessel adoat. excepting the Great Eastern. The
| summit level of the canal will be Ito feet above
1aUn and viii ma a
| each end will be short length of canal rising to
| this summit level AS trade-winds will contln-
| ually sweep over this surface. sailing vessels
| will experience difficulty in traversing it's
/ entire length The canal will he completed IN
! six years and its total will not exceed
500 DOC, 600, and its yearly maintenance will not
/ run over $500, 900. The capacity of the caual
| will be over II ,000 vessels per year.
| ssWhen completed" continued Mr.. Peary, sit
| will practically unite our Eastern and Western
| cities and make the coastline continuous be-
tween Eastport and Puget Sound: 1t will also
| shorten the distance between our East and West
| ports Z 600 miles and between our Pacific ports
and Europe 5000 miles. cargo of wheat load
| ed at SanFrancisco will be worth more the mo-
ment it is loaded. both in matter of time and
| insurance, than 1t IS now after 1t mas reached
| Cape Horn"
| Speaking of the financial success OF the enter
| prise, Mr.. Pearv sad SIN the Suez canal the
tonnage increased three hundred per cent. be-
/ tween 1873 and 1883, and official statistics show
| that in 1895, the year after the completion OF
| the Nicaraeuan canal, the traffic would be no
| less than 9,OUU,OUO tons annually. WDAG 1t
would be in the succeeding ten years the illus
| tration of the Suez canal would be no criterion,
| for the reason that the Suez canal has simply
1 gathered in existing traffic from other routes.
| while the Nicaraguar, in addition to that, will
make for itself enormous traffic by the i'm
| petus it will give to our Western coast and the
| Western coast of South America"
In drawing comparison between the Mica
| raguan and Panama schemes, Mr.. Peary re-
marked: I'm regard to the Panama canal that
magnificent project undertaken without
sufficient knowledge of the difficulties to be over
come, and it is impracticable, both from a
! financial and engineering point OF view. The
obligations of the company from $3.50. 000,
600 $500, 600 900 already, and the annual
charges for interest. management, etc, entirely
exclusive of any work. are SIC. 600 600. The min
! imum time for completion, fixed by conserva-
| tive engineers, is twelve years, and it has been
| very ably shown by Monsieur Lerow Beaulieu
| that at the present rate of construction the
| Panama canal, If ever completed, would cost
/ $50. 900. 900 annually for maintenance, without
/ equal to the total estimated cost OF the entire
| Nicaraguan canal Outside of all this, the
| Nlcaragran canal will be 600 miles nearer
western coast, and what is of still greater i'm
and sailing vessels would have to be lowed
| clear across the Isthmus The Panama canal
! would be practically useless for any craft other
| than steamers.
But what is perhaps Of more interest to
| Americans" said Mr.. Peary. he smiled sis
| American enterprise. In its construction
American methods and American tools are
pecially adopted. There will be a great demand
| for American hydraulic cements, dredges, ex-
| built by American capital and constructed by
| American brains.
An Old Marriage License.